Best Practices

5 Patient Safety Strategies from PatientEngagementHIT.com

One of the most important aspects of health care is patient safety, and that itself is directly tied into quality engagement. PatientEngagementHIT.com recently posted a list of five patient-centered safety strategies that clinicians can implement across specialties.

One of the foremost suggestions is to allow patients easier access to EHR data and medical records. In doing so, the patient gains an extra measure of confidence and autonomy over their health. And it also reduces the risk of miscommunication or inaccurate information.

Also at the core of patient safety is providing a quality care experience. Deirdre Mylod, Executive Director of the Institute for Innovation and Senior Vice President of Research and Analytics at Press Ganey, believes that safety and quality are one and the same:

When we say patient experience, it’s not in addition to quality, it’s not if we have time after we’ve gotten care right. Patient experience is that safety and quality. It is what patients think of their care. It’s how efficient and effective care is.

The list also includes tips such as focusing more on family and caregiver engagement, as patients are more often than not discharged into at-home care after initial treatment, and caring for the overall hospital environment.

The bottom line is that any measures to make treatment safer for patients are further steps toward a positive experience and quality outcomes.